Tessa Might Be A Loser, But Dalia Isn't

Suburgatory, S02E12

Tessa, noticing that she was lacking an after school activity, signed up as the producer of the school TV show, Teen Talk.  Ryan had to fill in as the host, and his success changed the show into a discussion forum about his body.  Tessa, not finding value in his show, argued with Ryan about whether she was a loser or not.  George discovered that Dallas' property was technically in East Chatswin, causing Dallas to be driven out of the country club and Dalia to have to move to a new school.

One thing that I like about Ryan and Tessa dating is that Ryan is able to point out things that make Tessa look sort of bad.  He doesn't do it deliberately, of course, but just by comparing the two of them, you see that Tessa could stand for improvement.  This time, it was about her extracurricular activities.  Ryan's multiple engagements made it clear that Tessa isn't involved in anything beyond herself.  Instead of that realization turning into a positive for her, she basically made it a negative once Ryan became part of her show.  Ryan came in to save Tessa's butt on her first day as producer and made her show a relative hit, and yet she couldn't look past the superficial to see the bigger picture.  For someone who claims to have more depth than most residents of Chatswin, Tessa can be pretty dense.  When Mr. Wolfe has to break down why you love your own boyfriend, you're not doing too well.

Still, I loved when Tessa and Ryan made up.  Ryan knelt down in front of her and apologized for calling her loser, and Tessa admitted that she was acting like one too.  Then they had a cute kiss on-air (which I worried would be a problem, but no one was bothered by it).  Damnit, they are just too amazing together.  I never thought the two of them would end up being one of my favorite couples.

Dallas' story was funny in that she had to adapt to East Chatswin life, which seemed to be pretty ghetto in comparison.  I mean, she technically only had to start going to a different gym (and probably eat somewhere else), but that was enough for Dallas to feel the pain.  When she wouldn't even go back into her house because it was "practically a crack den," I was cracking up.  To have such a beautiful home and sleep in your car because of a zoning technicality is too much.  George being by her side throughout her "ordeal" made it seem worthwhile.  It showed that he'll be with her through thick and thin.

Unquestionably, the best thing about the zoning problem was that Dalia got sent to East Chatswin High School.  She was escorted out of her original school by security and she still remained cool and sort of dissed her classmates before she did (by having no one to say goodbye to).  Then once transfered, she continued to diss them by calling people she saw there by her old classmates' names.  The worst was the red-haired janitor that she called Tessa.  Wow, she really does not think highly of any damn body.  Things got even better when Dalia met her black doppelganger, Daisy.  Although I felt bad for Dalia being bullied, it was so interesting to see the shoe on the other foot for her.  Daisy and the "A's" kept coming down on Dalia for being so pale and vampire like--wow.  As if she was the only white girl in school--they were clearly just looking for something to make fun of her.  I mean, they had little material to work with because Dalia doesn't scream "loser" with her attitude or fashion sense.  They might as well just have teased her for breathing.  What was great about Dalia being hated was that she didn't really fight back and pointed out to Daisy that one day she might find herself in Dalia's position ("the odd biatch out").   Only Dalia could walk through a hall where everyone was throwing paper balls at her as if it was nothing.  I love her.  She may not have been "tan" enough to fit in with the popular kids there, but they couldn't break her inner diva. 

This was a great episode.  Again, it wasn't hilarious or anything, but I enjoyed the series of events.  Tessa really needs to get off her high horse sometimes and look at things from a more positive side.  Ryan seems like he may be able to bring about that change in her.  Dallas is a trip when having to step outside of her world.  I'd love to see her in that kind "trouble" again, as long as George is there with her.  Without him, I don't think she could survive in an "unfruited water" world.  Dalia might have gotten a taste of her own medicine meeting Daisy, but she surely didn't bow down to another queen bee.  You have to love her unwavering spirit.

Losers

Big Bang Theory, S06E04

Howard returned home from space, but didn't get the big astronaut welcome he had hoped for, finding no one to celebrate his glory with him.  Sheldon and Leonard lost to Penny and Amy at pictionary, which sparked a battle of different games to prove who was superior after all.

Well, it was no surprise that Howard didn't come home a changed man (save the few inches he grew from being in zero gravity) in the sense that being an astronaut didn't make his life any better once coming home.  He couldn't get any from his wife with her shooting snot from her nose and passed out from Benadryl, his mother was too busy screwing the dentist to have time for him, Raj had moved on with his new bestie Stuart, and the rest of his friends were too busy trying to beat each other to have a second for him.  I don't know if he was more of a loser coming back home or before he left.  I suppose he was more after because he had done something really great, but the only accolade he could reap from that experience was a free piece of cheesecake (which I'd take--it's better than nothing).  I felt bad for him, but you couldn't be too surprised with the kind of luck Howard has.

The funnier losers of Thursday night were definitely Sheldon and Leonard.  I just loved seeing Penny and Amy take them to school on a variety of games.  It was just nice to see Penny be able to hold her head higher than Sheldon.  One of my favorite moments was during pictionary when Penny was just taking her sweet time drawing nail polish because Sheldon was way off (even if it had been Polish as he had mistaken it for).  But it was great that she and Amy didn't just excel at drawing cookies and presents, but they were also masters of finding Waldo with impaired vision and solving long division while dizzy.  But I think my favorite victory for the girls was when Penny easily pinned Sheldon on the ground and then began kissing him to make him even more annoyed!  And then Amy just joined in when Sheldon begged for her help!  Hilarious.  I also loved when Leonard, tired of losing, demanded that Sheldon participate in the pie-eating contest:

Now, you either stick your face in that pie or I’m gonna stick that pie in your face.

I wish every episode could be this kind of game night.  I need the reminder that Sheldon is not skilled in many things outside of science and mathematics.  I even didn't think about how much I dislike Penny because she was being really good about giving Sheldon the business.

This is my favorite episode of the season so far.  I don't know if Howard is going to let Raj be best friends with someone else forever, but he is a married man now, so he might not feel as put out by that as he seemed to be in this episode.  I would love to see a story where Stuart and Howard would have to compete for Raj's friendship in the future.  And any time they can show what a loser Sheldon is again, I'm all for that.  It's just too funny.